Changing Feelings
by tinymarauder
Summary: Lily and James have left Hogwarts and have moved on with their lives. What will happen when they meet up again? Will Lily finaly fall for James?
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Only JK Rowling does.

A.N.: Soooo I started this forever ago but I never really finished it. I was going through all my old stuff the other day and I found all the chapters I never ended up posting. I'm gonna revise what I have already then I'm gonna try to finish it this time. Wish me luck!

Chapter 1: The Rejection

James Potter ruffled his already untidy black hair as he stepped out of the entrance to the Gryffindor common room. This was his last day at Hogwarts. He had just finished his seventh and final year at Hogwarts and had no regrets. He had made friends that were as close as brothers and had caused his professors more than his share of trouble. Well he did have one regret, but he would take care of that right now. He took out an old piece of parchment out of his pocket and stared down at it, studying it closely. After a moment he tapped the map with his wand and muttered "mischief managed" as he took off down the hall. He went down several flights of stairs, taking them two at a time determined to find his mark. After a few twists and turns he rounded a corner and came to a stop in front of the great hall.

He tried to casually lean against a wall to wait for the girl he hadn't seemed to be able to get off his mind for the last three years. He didn't have long to wait.

A red headed girl walked out of the hall a few minutes later laughing with a couple of her friends. The laughter died on her lips as she saw him waiting. A frown furrowed her brow but she continued towards him which was all he could really have hoped for.

"Everything alright Evans?" he asked as she neared. She waved her hands towers her friends who continued on without her as she closed the final steps between them.

"Well it was before you showed up." muttered the girl under her breath.

He took a deep breath and stuffed his hands into his pockets. "Well I just wanted to say that is has been a great year working with you as heads of Hogwarts"

"Well thanks" she replied looking confused "It was nice working with you too." She looked at him suspiciously obviously waiting for something.

"I guess all I wanted to say was goodbye since this was our last year at Hogwarts." he said uncomfortably.

"Well I'll miss you too I guess. Goodbye Potter." She stuck out her hand and James took it with a smile. She smiled back and began to spin back towards her friends when James grabbed her shoulder lightly unable to stop himself.

"ummm... Evans?" James called as she turned back towards him with a resigned look on her face.

"Yes?"

"Do you want to go out with me?" James asked hopefully, one last time.

"No Potter I won't. You think that after hearing that for years now you would have remembered the answer." She told him sharply rolling her eyes at his return to the normality. She spun on her heal and rejoined her friends who were waiting for her at the base of the staircase he had just come down.

"Good bye Lily" James whispered to her retreating back. As she left James felt a pang of sorrow. He had tried to get her to like him for years and he didn't end up winning her heart in the end. He let his gaze wonder over the architecture around him and all his surroundings. This was the last time he would be seeing the school. He hung his head and made his way out to the train that would take him away from this place forever.

How did you guys think that was? Sorry it was so short. I promise the others will be longer. I want to know what you guys think so R&R please!


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Well since I'm a broke college student with no more then a couple dollars to my name, I'm pretty sure I don't own Harry Potter. All those rights remain with J.K. Rowling who is currently the second wealthiest woman in the world, only behind Opera.

Chapter 2

It was four years since James had left Hogwarts. He completed his training as and Auror and was now working for the ministry. As he sat behind his desk looking over papers of his last couple of mission his best friends Sirius Black came running up to him.

"You know Sirius, I don't think it's very professional to run through the office," James told his friend with at smirk on his face.

"Oh well whats the worst that can happen?" Sirius shot back.

"Black just what do think you are doing?" Roared a voice from behind as a man came up to Sirius.

"Sorry mate, but that is the worst that can happen" James replied laughing.

"Ummm….. well I was just paying a visit to my friend here." Sirius said uncomfortably. "You know….. Strictly on business reasons…"

"Well however much I may doubt that, I was talking about running through the office!" Alastor Moody yelled at him "What if the death eaters were attacking the ministry! You could run right into one of them! Elementary Auror safety, no one bothers with it anymore." Moody muttered as he walked off.

James burst into laughter as soon as Moody was out of ear shot. "That was the worst lie I have ever heard!" James said between laughs.

"Well it wasn't really my fault…." Sirius muttered as he scratched his head. I just came to tell you that on break you me Remus and Peter are meeting up in the auditorium to go to lunch at the Leaky Cauldron today." Sirius's face lifted as he added "And lunch break begins in five minutes. At least during lunch we can get away from cranky Moody."

"I heard that!" came 'cranky Moody's voice from across the office.

James smiled as his friend's face paled but sighed. "I would love to but I can't. I'm going to be working late as it is today, I think I'm just going to skip my lunch."

"Fine suit yourself." Sirius pouted. "I'll bring you something back if Peter doesn't eat everything first."

James nodded in appreciation and went back to his work.

Shadows started to fall around the office as one Auror after another left for the night. Soon the only light in the department came from one of the cubicles near the back. The man's hair stuck up in all directions indicating that he had run his hands through it more than a couple times in frustration as he pored over the papers that littered his desk. The clock on the wall chimed eleven times breaking him out of his thoughts

James had spent the whole day sitting in the office filling out paper work. The one thing he couldn't stand about his job was the paper work. Moody had given him a whole stack of it to do today to punish him for last night.

Last night there had been an attack at Diagon Alley and he had punched a death-eater in the face after the man had already been restrained. The death-eater had told him that if he didn't release him, that he would send word to his buddies to kill James' family. James had lost it. Little did this death-eater know but his 'buddies' had already killed his parents two years before. There was no one left in the Potter family but him.

Moody had let him off easy, healing up the bruise James' fist had caused and claiming not to have witnessed the blow, but James still had to turn in all the reports that he had been putting off in the morning.

He had just dropped his head into his hands when an alarm sounded in the back of the office.

James knew that sound well.

He shot up, knocking files to the floor as he dashed towards the noise. He dashed into the alert room and saw a surname and addresses pop up on the screen. He recognized the name as that of one of the muggle born students he had gone to school with. He quickly slammed his palm down on a button that would alert the response Aurors and he ran towards atrium where he knew his team would be assembling.

When he finally reached the ground floor he ran to where he saw the witches and wizards appearing one after another all with steeled looks.

He saw the faces of many people he knew. Amelia Bones was among them as was Sirius Black who looked rather disheveled and was currently in the process of trying to tuck in his shirt and zip up his pants.

"Were you in the middle of something?" Amelia asked him crinkling her nose disgustedly.

"No not in the middle thank goodness." Sirius said a little out of breath but good-naturedly. "We were just really starting to-"  
"That will be enough Black. Nobody wants a mental image of that." Moody said loudly, cutting him off as he cam striding up to the group. "Alright who heard the alarm?"

"That was me." James said stepping forward. "The MClenen's house has been broken into. If everyone would just grab hands I'll apperate us the house." Everyone did as he asked and James closed his eyes as the similar squeezing sensation took over.

Meanwhile a girl with flaming red hair walked down the corridor of the fourth floor of St. Mungo's hospital. Given her brilliancy at charms and the study she had done in hexes and jinxes she had been moving up in the ranks in the "Spell damage" department ever since she had left Hogwarts. Almost a year ago she had accepted the job of head of the ward after the previous holder of the position was attacked by a squad of death eaters. No one had been too keen to take a job that made them a target of attacks. Lily had boldly stepped forward and with the help of her genius and the many protective spells covering her apartment, she had remained virtually unscathed in the last year.

It had been another long day at the hospital and she ached all over. All she wanted now was a good night's sleep. She gathered up her coat and brief case with a happy sigh as she imaged her comfy bed waiting for her as made her way to the door. All of a sudden red lights started flushing and a sound echoed in the halls.

"All available healers to the front desk." The voice said with a note of panic in their voice. Lily dropped her things and raced down three sets of stairs to where a couple of people were already lined up. A voice spoke out.

"Another house has been attacked. We need to get healers on the scene immediately."

"Where are we going?" Lily asked gripping her wand tightly in her hand, ready.

Ok well that's chapter 2 revised and done. After this its gonna be new stuff posted. Please tell me what you think of it! Please leave me a review!


	3. Chapter 3

I don't own Harry Potter obviously. If I did there would have been another book written for the Marauder era. But alas, I can only dream.

The aurors arrived in dark neighborhood with a crack. They looked around and took in the sight of the house across the street. There was a dark mark hanging overhead and the door of the house had been blown off its hinges.

"With me." Moody growled quietly breaking from the group and moving swiftly forward. James followed, his jaw clenched in anticipation of what was to come next. He saw Sirius out of the corner of his eye move to his side. He didn't know what he would do without Sirius. Whenever they went out on raids he was always at his side. They kept each other safe, each one willing to give his life for the other.

The group reached the doorway and steeled themselves as Moody held up his hand in a silent signal. He stuck up three fingers and James' heart pounded as he lowered one, then another. James took a deep breath and rushed forward, surrounded by his co-workers. Silently they swept through the front door looking for signs of death-eaters. They didn't have to wait long. Just as Frank and Mad-eye reached the kitchen, a pack of death-eaters descended on them.

"Stay together!" Moody yelled as the scene erupted into chaos. Curses flew back and forth and yells filled the room as each side battled the other.

"Don't break formation!" Mad-eye ordered over the din. They aurors stood by the back protecting each other from any attacks that might come from behind. The death-eaters closed in around them.

James side stepped a curse and threw back a jinx of his own whooping as the death-eater fell. "Sirius you better catch up. That's three already." He called without taking his eyes off the death-eater who filled the space of his fallen comrade.

"I've taken out six already Jamsie. It is you who are behind." Sirius called back laughing.

"Frank?" James called out to their friend for conformation.

"Only two. I by the way have three." Frank announced with a slight hint of arrogance in his voice. "You better be on your game today James. I might just take the title from you."

"Hey boys!" called another voice behind James. He recognized it as Alice. "That was my fifth that just went down if you were wondering." She sang back gleefully.

The boys groaned but they were silenced. "This is not a game!" Moody snapped at his team.

"Ooohh somebody's got a low count today." Alice said in a staged whisper.

"Mrs. Fortescue you're going to be in charge of filling out the paperwork for every death-eater we bring in tonight." Moody growled back at her and was greeted with a groan from Alice this time.

James laughed as he took another death-eater down. He heard a thud to his side and saw the auror on his left lying on the ground. "Deverox is down." James called behind him and cast a shield charm over the unconscious man and faced his opponent. The man's hood had been knocked askew and platinum blonde hair spilled out from beneath it.

James knew who he faced. "Lucius Malfoy. It's been a while." James spoke wand at the ready. "I can't say I'm happy to see you though."

"I can assure you Potter the feeling is mutual." Lucius drawled before snapping into action. "Crucio!" he cried.

"Pretego! Stupify!" James countered, and the duel began. Soon they were ducking and diving as they both fought to take the other down. Around them, death-eaters and aurors fell but they were oblivious of all but each other.

"Having trouble Potter?" Lucius sneered as James narrowly missed a hex.

"Not at all." James answered through gritted teeth sending a jelly legged jinx back at Malfoy who countered it. "I was actually beginning to enjoy myself."

"Is that so?" Lucius asked sarcastically sending another burst of green light at him.

"Yup. I always enjoy watching Voldermort's followers proving him wrong." James told him giving a short laugh as he shot back a blue get of his own.

"What are you talking about?" Lucius demanded confused.

"You're proof that blood has nothing to do with ability. I mean come on, my 11 year old cousin duels better then you."

Lucius let out a shriek and redoubled his efforts. Spells bounced back and forth at an alarming rate. There were a couple close shaves and a few minutes later James had scrapes all down his right arm from where a curse grazed him and Lucius had a couple cuts on his cheek. They both ignored these injuries though. They were so wrapped up in their hate for each other they didn't notice as the battle was slowly drawing to a close. Although the floor was littered with bodies from both sides, the aurors were winning. Lucius seemed to notice however that soon he would be greatly outnumbered. He glanced around and seemed to make up his mind. He threw one more curse flying at James and threw up a shield charm before turning around and dashing towards the front door. James had a feeling he was trying to get clear of the spell that made it impossible to disaparate so he could get away and save himself. James dodged and dashed after him.

"Lucius don't you dare!" He heard another death-eater roar. "She's not even here yet! You can't abandon our mission!" But Lucius paid no attention to them and kept running.

The aurors had broken formation new and he ran between dueling pairs in hot pursuit of Malfoy. However he looked to the side and saw Alice backed into a corner trying to fight off an approaching death-eater. James faltered but in that moment Frank came charging past him and threw a stunner at the back of the death-eater.

"Hey! I was doing alright on my own." Alice complained. He knew it was all for show though. James could hear relief behind her words.

"You're welcome." Frank told her, noticing it as well.

James turned back towards the spot where Malfoy had disappeared but was met with the sight of his cloak swishing as he turned on a spot across the street and disappeared.

"Damn it." James cursed. All of a sudden a curse came flying at him knocking his wand out of his hand. James ducked for his wand but another spell was thrown at him and he became as rigid as a board and fell down in mid-leap. He saw Sirius who was dueling furiously with a dark haired woman who was cackling gleefully, his cousin James guessed, but no one noticed that he needed help. The death-eater approached smiling down at him.

"Not so tough now are you?" James would have made a comeback line but the curse was still on him and he couldn't make a sound. "Scared Potter? Maybe you should have thought of the consequences before you put my brother in Azkaban!" He growled as he neared James frozen body. "Well you should have." He kicked James in the stomach causing pain to explode though his abdomen.

All of a sudden a spell hit James and he was able to move. He wand also came flying up into his hand too. James threw a stunning spell at the death-eater who had attacked him. The spell hit making the man fall to the floor. James glanced over to his side and he saw Sirius give him a thumbs up while ducking a spell his opponent threw at him. Just then a few more people entered the room. James glanced at their robes. They were healers.

'What are they doing here?' James thought. 'The area isn't safe. They're going to get themselves killed.'

But as he watched the healers started fighting their way towards the bodies of the witch and wizards lying on the floor. As he looked around the room he saw a death-eater aiming a spell at the back of one of the healers.

The healer turned around as they heard the person come up behind them. James ran forward and threw a stunning spell at them, and the spell hit them square in the back.

James walked over and kicked the death-eaters body, rolling him over to look at his face. "Agustus Rookwood." He snorted in disgust. "Well at least we have one people we were looking for" he said to himself. He finally looked at the healer. His mouth dropped opened before him was none other than Lily Evans. He stared at her for a minute before, realizing what he was doing, looking away. He hadn't seen her since they had graduated Hogwarts. All the feelings that had lay dormant for so long were once again flooding through him.

"You better be careful." James warned her "It's not safe." Just as he said it a hex came flying towards the pair. James grabbed Lily's arm and pulled her to the ground.

"It's her! She's here!" A cloaked figure called gleefully to the group.

'Her? What did that mean?' James didn't have time to consider it. He rolled onto his stomach and shot another jinx at the death-eater who called out. They crumpled on the spot. James stood up and offered a hand to Lily and helped her to her feet.

He stunned another death-eater who was making their way towards them. "We should keep moving," James said. Lily stared off towards a body and James looked around for more death-eaters. Unfortunately a death-eater found him first.

"Crusio!" The death-eater roared. James was thrown into horrible pain. He writhed on the as he felt thousands of needles assaulting his body. All of a sudden it all stopped as the spell lifted and he saw the death-eater was staggering backwards. Lily was standing in front of him.

"Wow look you've got a girlfriend to protect you." Laughed the death-eater recovering his balance. He aimed a spell at Lily but she deflected it. The death-eater ducked as his own spell came flying back at him.

"If the Dark Lord wasn't so adamant about sending this message I would just kill you on the spot." The death-eater sneered. "I can't believe we're going through all this trouble for a little mud-blood like you."

When James looked back at Lily and there was a glint in her eyes that hadn't been there before, even her hair seemed to be charged with some unseen power. With one swish of her wand the death- eater fell over backwards and didn't get up.

"Wow. That's why the Slytherins never messed with you in school." James said in awe.

"Thanks." Lily said turning away from him to one of the bodies on the ground. She began inspecting them seeing what she could do to help. "Avery tried to jump me once in the dungeons. I hit him with a few curses that put him in the hospital wing for weeks. Nobody tried anything after that." She smiled slightly at the memory.

James smiled but it dropped off his face as he heard a spell shouted somewhere near them. He looked up in time to see a death-eater shoot a spell at Lily. James had no time to block it. Without thinking of the consequences he threw himself in the path of the spell. He saw a bright jet of light hit him in the chest and everything went black.

R and R please!


	4. Chapter 4

Changing Feelings

Disclaimer: I wish I owned Harry Potter…. *a bunch of lawyers run up and snap open scary briefcases* Fine! I don't own Harry Potter! Kill joys.

Chapter 4

James opened his eyes and confusion flooded his mind as he took in his surroundings. This wasn't the apartment in Diagon Alley that he shared with his friends. Instead he was surrounded by white. He was in a hospital. He was certain of this because he had been in hospitals his entire life. When he had gone to Hogwarts it seemed like he got into a fight with a Slyhterin at least a couple times a week. When he started his career as an auror it had only gotten worse. As he studied the room around him he realized that he was in a room at . He was in a private room, he noted, which was strange. He didn't have much time to ponder the reasons before a nurse came in.

"Hey Linda." James said nodding at her.

The elderly woman just shook her head. "I can't believe you you're in here again." She said as she moved around him taking his temperature and checking his pulse. "So Linda, am I getting Dr. Striken again?" Whenever James came into the hospital with broken bones or spell damage he got a woman called Dr. Stricken. He had spent countless visits annoying her and seeing how far he could push her before she cracked.

"Nope." Linda said in reply. "You have Dr. Evans."

"What?"

"She's a young thing, just went into training a few years back. But she's smart. She finished top of her class." She opened the drapes and then walked around his bed, tucking in blankets and fluffing pillows. "I like her. She isn't snotty like the other young people around here. She treats me with respect. The only problem with her is her temper. Actually," she leaned closer, handing him a glass of water and lowered her voice to a whisper "I heard the reason she has such a bad temper is because throughout her years at school she was stalked by some creep." James coughed in surprise, spitting the water he had been sipping back into the cup and hurriedly changed the subject.

"Do you know why she's my doctor?" He asked casually trying not to look guilty. "She's never treated me before."

"I asked her that same question just this morning." She told him. He could tell by the smile on her face that she had already spread whatever Lily had told her, throughout the hospital staff. James had wondered more than once if it was pure gossip that kept this woman alive. "She thought it was the least she could do to give you your own room and check up on you herself. She told me that it was her fault that you got hurt." Linda gave a knowing smile. "Pretty thing like her, I don't blame you."

"I was dueling death-eaters and one of them sent a hex flying at us." He said simply.

"It looks like you got more than hexed." Linda said glancing at him from the other side of the room where she was pretending to clean, in case anyone walked in.

"What do you mean?" James asked confused.

"Some tests were taken on you yesterday when you were still out cold. They told us that you were hit with the cruciatus curse."

James grimaced as the memory came back to him. "Yeah you're right." He shook his head. "How long have I been out anyway?"

"You've been asleep for about ten hours I think." Linda told him counting the hours out on her fingers.

"What? Why was I out so long?" James asked startled.

Just then a cheery Lily walked into the room. "Well, you were hit with the cruciatus curse first which weakened you. When the next hex hit, it finished you off. Actually you should have been out for longer." She told him looking at the clipboard in her hands. "I wasn't expecting you to wake up til tomorrow."

"Yup." Linda replied before James could. "Our boy's a trouper."

She smiled. "Well that's good to hear. You'll be out of here in no time."

"I'm I no hurry. I was just catching up with Linda here. She takes such good care of me, I'm almost sad when I get to leave." James told her smiling towards the older witch he had become so fond of.

"It's always a pleasure James. I'll leave you two alone. I'm sure you have lots of questions to ask Doctor Evans." James almost laughed as she skirted around the edge of the room and, after giving an obvious wink, walked out leaving the two alone.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Lily dropped her smile and turned to look out the window. She was still as beautiful, James noted, and maybe even more so now if that was possible. A certain maturity had entered her features, and he knew this was no longer the girl he had fought with at school. The person in front of him was a woman. As soon as she let the smile slide off her face, she looked like she had seen much since she had left school, and none of it good.

"I just wanted to say thanks."

James was shocked. Lily had never thanked him for anything in his life. Well, that was unless he counted the time she was yelling at him in their 6th year and she had sarcastically said 'Yes thank you Potter. Thank you for making my life hell.' But somehow he didn't think that counted.

He swallowed "That's ok. It's my job to fight the death-eaters."

"Still thank you. You didn't have to take that hex for me." They fell back into awkward silence as neither one knew quite what to say, but then Lily's face changed as she seemed to remember something. "There was another reason I ca-"

Just then Sirius came barging into the room. Two security guards were trying to drag him back, but he ended up dragging them into the room with him. "James are you ok? What happened? Why were you out so long? Are you sick?" Sirius asked very fast and in all one breath. He ran over to the bed and started shaking James whose glasses almost fell off his face. "I would have been here sooner but I fell asleep in the waiting room. Linda just told me you had woken up."

"So you guys are still friends? I should have known." Lily shook her head and laughed and Sirius' childlike antics. "I apologize for all your trouble." She said turning to the security guards. "It's alright though. The patient is up, and is well enough for visitors."

The security guards nodded and left the room shooting nasty looks over their shoulders at Sirius who took no notice.

Lily's words seemed to alert Sirius to the fact that there was another person in the room with them. "Oh my gosh Lily is that you?" He ran over to Lily and pulled her into a tight hug.

"Uh Sirius, I think you're crushing her." James told him with a laugh.

Sirius looked down at Lily who had a look of shock on her face. It was obvious she didn't get many patients who had no sense of personal boundaries. James had gotten used to Sirius over the years and tended to forget that his antics weren't really normal.

"Oopps sorry." Sirius apologized, looking rather sheepish for a moment. But in a few seconds he recovered. "Well it's not my fault. I haven't seen you since school! Why haven't you been visiting me?"

Lily straightened her clothing "I've been a little busy. I practically live here."

"Well you know what? I'm taking us out to lunch. My treat." Sirius said happily.

"I'm sorry to pop your bubble, but James is not in any condition to leave today. I mean, he just regained consciousness." Lily exclaimed looking down at the clipboard again, eyeing it critically.

Sirius' face fell. "But- but-but" he put on the puppy dog face he had perfected throughout his life.

"No. He can't even walk right now."

"You're no fun." Sirius told her pouting.

"And you're irresponsible so we're even."

James watched the two argue over him with a bemused look on his face, as the two people in front of him agued over what he was well enough for.

"Well at least let me sneak him in some food. You can't expect him to eat the crap here. I still have my doubts whether or not it's actually edible. I can grab some food and we can have a little lunch in here."

Lily seemed to think about it for a moment. And James jumped at the opportunity. "I'm not going to eat the hospital food. You can't watch me all day. Sirius will eventually sneak something in**."**

Lily finally nodded her consent. "Fine, but it will just be you two. I can't eat right now, I'm working."

"Oh come on Lils! You can just tell them you're supervising a patient."

Lily didn't look persuaded.

"Oh come on. For once forget about the rules and have some fun." Sirius pleaded.

"Fine." Lily caved.

Sirius whooped.

"On one condition."

"What?"

"We have to get the kind of food I want."

"And what kind would that be?" James asked curiously from his bed.

"McDonalds." Lily told them her face breaking into a grin.

"What's Mc-Don-els?" Sirius asked confused.

"It's a muggle fast food restaurant." She told them.

"You mean its run by muggles? That's gonna be an nightmare." Sirius whined.

"Trust me it's going to be worth it. I haven't had it in so long, I've been dying to go."

"Fine." Sirius conceded.

"Let me just grab my coat and we can go." Lily told them walking out of the room Sirius moving to follow her.

"Hey." James called Sirius back. "Keep an eye on her. There was something going on last night. I think the death-eaters might be after her." He told Sirius seriously thinking back to the night before.

"What do you mean?" Sirius asked confused.

"I don't know. There was something up, like they were sent there to capture her. You guys should be fine since you're just going into the muggle world, but still. Keep an eye out." James said looking worried.

Sirius nodded. "Don't worry I will." He glanced out the door. "I'm worried about this Mc-donels thing though. Have you ever heard of it?"

"Nope. Good luck mate." James told him grinning. He settled down into the bed. He had no idea what this Mcdonalds was, but he had a feeling he was going to hear all about it from Sirius when he got back.


End file.
